UMaine’s Buttles out for season with knee injury; field hockey ranked No. 10

ORONO — Derek Buttles appeared to be headed for another outstanding season for the University of Maine football team.

Now, the season is over for the receiver.

UMaine head coach Jack Cosgrove on Wednesday announced Buttles has been lost for the remainder of the 2011 season with a knee injury.

Buttles, a senior from Pike, N.Y., suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the Black Bears’ 31-15 victory at Albany on Sept. 17.

The All-Colonial Athletic Association second-team pick in 2010 recently underwent surgery to repair the injury, according to the release. His recovery is expected to take six to eight months.

However, Buttles is a fifth-year senior and does not have any eligibility remaining.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder made 10 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown in three games this season. Buttles had 62 receptions for 796 yards and four TDs in 37 career contests.

DILLON PLAYING FOR UMAINE WOMEN

Amber Dillon, a freshman guard from Jamaica Plain, Mass., has joined the UMaine women’s basketball team this semester.

The 5-foot-2 Dillon played point guard at Brookline (Mass.) High School, where she averaged 18 points, five assists and three steals last season, leading the Warriors to a 14-7 record.

Dillon, who served as a team captain, ranked second in scoring in the Bay State Conference. She finished with more than 1,000 career points and was a three-time all-star.

UMAINE FIELD HOCKEY NO. 10

The UMaine field hockey team, which is riding an 11-game winning streak, has been ranked No. 10 in the country by both the National Field Hockey Coaches Association and WomensFieldHockey.Com polls.

Coach Josette Babineau’s Black Bears (11-1 overall, 1-0 America East) have achieved the highest national ranking in program history.

UMaine leads Division I in scoring, averaging 5.42 goals per game, and also is first in scoring margin (3.89), assists per game (3.92) and points per game (14.75).

Senior Kelly Newton is the nation’s No. 4 scorer with 3.08 points per game and leads the country while averaging 1.42 assists.

The Bears are preparing for Sunday’s 3 p.m. home game against No. 19 Boston University.

MOORE NAMED COLBY COACH

Stan Moore has been named the interim head coach of the Colby College men’s ice hockey team.

He replaces former UMaine goaltender Jim Tortorella, who stepped down at Colby to become the associate head coach at the University of New Hampshire.

Moore boasts more than 25 years of Division I coaching experience and most recently was an assistant coach at Providence College from 2005-10. Last season, he served as an assistant at Kents Hill School.

Moore, who also previously coached at Colgate, Union and Brown, is a New York native who played college hockey at Oswego State.

The Mules begin practice on Nov. 1 and open the season Nov. 18 at Middlebury. Colby was 12-11-2 last season and returns seven of its top nine scorers.